Cultural Diversity

1. NOTE: To change images on this slide, select a picture and delete it. Then click the Insert Picture icon in the placeholder to insert your own image. Cultural Diversity DHO 8 Chapter 9 2017-2018

2. 9:1 Culture, Ethnicity, and Race • Health care workers must work with & provide care to many different people • They must be aware of the factors that cause each individual to be unique • Uniqueness is influenced by many things including physical characteristics, family life, socioeconomic status, religious beliefs, geographical location, education, occupation, & life experiences • A major influence on an individuals uniqueness is the person’s cultural/ethnic heritage

3. 9:1 Culture, Ethnicity, and Race Culture: • Values, beliefs, attitudes, languages, symbols, rituals, behaviors, & customs unique to a particular group of people • Passed from one generation to the next • Often defined as a set of rules • Foundation of behavior

4. 9:1 Culture, Ethnicity, and Race 4 basic characteristics of culture: • It is learned (children learn patterns of behavior by imitating adults) • It is shared (common practices & beliefs are shared with others) • It is social in nature (people in the cultural group understand appropriate behavior based on traditions) • It is dynamic & constantly changing (new ideas generate different standards for behavior)

5. 9:1 Culture, Ethnicity, and Race Ethnicity: • Classification of people based on national origin and/or culture • They share a common heritage, geographic location, social customs, language, & beliefs • Examples-African American, Asian/Pacific American, European American, Hispanic American, Middle Eastern American, Native American

6. 9:1 Culture, Ethnicity, and Race Race: • Classification of people based on physical or biological characteristics such as color of skin, hair, & eyes; facial features; blood type; and bone structure

7. 9:1 Culture, Ethnicity, and Race Cultural diversity: • Differences among people resulting from cultural, ethnic, and racial factors • These differences influence a person’s behavior Cultural assimilation: • When many cultures absorb into the dominant culture Acculturation: • Process of learning the beliefs & behaviors of a dominant culture & assuming some of the characteristics Cultural Sensitivity: • Ability to recognize & appreciate the personal characteristics of others

8. 9:2 Bias, Prejudice, and Stereotyping Bias: • Preference or inclination that inhibits impartial judgment Examples: • young people are physically & mentally superior to older people • college educated people are superior to uneducated people • rich people are superior to poor people • obese and short people are inferior • nurses are inferior to doctors • women are inferior to men

9. 9:2 Bias, Prejudice, and Stereotyping Prejudice: • Strong feelings or beliefs about a person or subject • Pre-judging others without reviewing facts • Prejudiced individuals regard their ideas or behavior as right and other ideas as wrong • Prejudiced individuals are often afraid of things that are different Example: If someone is walking in a secluded area in the night, &a group of senior citizens who are walking with canes in hand, come from the opposite side, the person will not feel threatened. However, if instead of senior citizens, 3teenagers dressed in jeans &t-shirts with lots of metal chains around their neck are approaching from the other side, the person might feel threatened a bit, even without any kind of provocation from their end.

10. 9:2 Bias, Prejudice, and Stereotyping Stereotyping: • Making the assumption that everyone in a group is the same • Ignores individual characteristics • “Labels” people Example: • All blondes are dumb

11. 9:2 Bias, Prejudice, and Stereotyping Label each of the statements on your worksheet as a bias, prejudice, or stereotype. • All fat people are lazy. • Chemotherapy is much better than radiation to treat cancer. • Herbal remedies are a waste of money. • All teenagers are reckless drivers. • He must be really stupid because he does not know how to use the Internet. • Baptists are better Christians than Lutherans.

12. 9:3 Understanding Cultural Diversity • The cultural and ethnic beliefs of an individual will affect the behavior of the individual • Health care workers must be aware of these beliefs in order to provide holistic care • Holistic care=provides for the well-being of the whole person and meets not only physical needs, but also social, emotional, and mental needs • Some areas of cultural diversity include family organization, language, personal space, touching, eye contact, gestures, health care beliefs, spirituality, and religion

13. 9:3 Understanding Cultural Diversity Family Organization: • Structure of a family • Dominant or decision-making person in a family • Nuclear family-consists of a mother, father, & children; may also consist of single parent & child(ren) • Extended family-includes nuclear family plus grandparents, aunts, uncles, & cousins • Patriarchal-father or oldest male is the authority figure • Matriarchal-mother or oldest female is the authority figure

14. 9:3 Understanding Cultural Diversity Language: • Use interpreters when possible Personal space & touch: • Distance people require to feel comfortable while interacting with others Eye contact: • Considered rude in some cultures Gestures: • Can mean different things in different cultures Spirituality & Religion: • Jehovah’s Witness and Christian Scientists may refuse blood transfusions Health care beliefs: • Can vary greatly

15. 9:3 Understanding Cultural Diversity Health care beliefs: Use Tables 9-1 & 9-2 to identify the culture that may have the following health care beliefs. • Illness is caused by an imbalance between yin and yang • Wearing an Azabache will treat disease • Health is harmony between man and nature • Health is a balance between “hot and cold” forces • Evil spirits or evil “eye” cause illness • Lack of cleanliness causes illness • Pain must be accepted and endured silently • Shaman or medicine man is the traditional healer

16. 9:4 Respecting Cultural Diversity • Regard each individual as unique • Health care workers must learn to respect differences in individuals by: listening; appreciate differences; learn more about cultural groups; recognize and avoid bias, prejudice, & stereotyping